Monday when I pulled into the grocery store parking lot, angst shot down my spine. It was packed, not a spot to be found. That meant that the aisles of the grocery store would be the same. But I wasn’t going to let my grocery shopping experience be a negative one, instead, I took a breath, softened my shoulders and prepared to enter chaos. Keep finding peace even when you're busy.

Want to make the most of every moment? Learn how to find peace even when you’re busy. Even when things are tough.

Monday when I pulled into the grocery store parking lot, angst shot down my spine. It was packed, not a spot to be found. That meant that the aisles of the grocery store would be the same. But I wasn’t going to let my grocery shopping experience be a negative one, instead, I took a breath, softened my shoulders and prepared to enter chaos.

From the cereal aisle to the cheese counter, the store was slammed. But it didn’t impact me one bit because I reminded myself that I wasn’t in a hurry. When you’re not in a hurry, you can find peace. Waiting at the bakery, weaving through grocery carts, and standing in line at the check out has no impact on you when you’re not in a hurry. Let others go ahead, smile at the cashier, say hello to fellow shoppers–be fully engaged in the experience by moving slowly through the task at hand.

Practice Peace Without Chaos

How to find peace in the midst of chaos comes with practice. Get quiet, whether in meditation or yoga at least once a day for a set period of time. Consistency is key. The more time spent meditating quietly, the more likely you are to carry that over when things get a little more chaotic.

Remember the importance of breath. When you feel tension starting to build in your body, breath through that tension. Close your eyes, get connected with what’s going on in your body, and keeping breathing. Take five long, slow breaths and if possible, begin to make the exhale longer than the inhale.

You Control Your Reaction

While you often can’t control what happens in life and how the people around you act, you can control how you react to it. Don’t let rushing cars in a traffic jam keep you from finding peace. If your boss is dumping loads of work on you, it doesn’t have to be chaotic. Take a breath, write a list, and one by one, start checking things off that list.

In those times when you slip up and react badly to life’s trials and tribulations, don’t beat yourself up. Get back on the mindful train and try, try again.

One of the easiest ways to find happiness is to show gratitude for what you already have. Having gratitude for the life you’ve been given is a sign of contentment. It shows that instead of striving for what you don’t have, you’re content with what life has thrown your way. Gratitude is part of loving this place, this time, or this moment even when things aren’t going exactly your way.

One of the easiest ways to find happiness is to show gratitude for what you already have. Having gratitude for the life you’ve been given is a sign of contentment. It shows that instead of striving for what you don’t have, you’re content with what life has thrown your way. Gratitude is part of loving this place, this time, and this moment even when things aren’t going exactly your way.

Show Gratitude Today

1. Start your day by journaling or saying to yourself in the form of a prayer your daily gratitude list. What are you currently thankful for in your life?

2. Include things that aren’t positive. Even negative people or life events are put there to teach us something about ourselves. Be thankful for these daily learning tools.

3. Pick a person, animal, or organization to do something nice for each week.

4. Say a gratitude prayer before you eat. It can be religious or just being thankful for those that prepared and produced your food.

5. Give a big, cuddly hug and mean it.

6. Look people in the eyes when you say thank you.

7. Tell someone how they positively impacted your life and that you’re thankful for them.

8. Learn to listen. Being a good listener doesn’t just mean hearing what someone else is saying, but truly trying to consciously understand what they mean.

9. Leave a gigantic tip.

10. Be patient with those around you.

11. Think before you speak and avoid saying hurtful things that could have a negative impact on those around you.

12. Pay for someone’s coffee, just because.

13. Show gratitude for yourself by making a list of the positive things you’ve done lately.

I love the yoga lifestyle but recently I went through a tough period when yoga and meditation didn't seem to work anymore. When your yoga and mediation practice feels ineffective, it's easy to just stop practicing, but it’s in these difficult times that you need it the most. Try these three steps to get your yoga and meditation practice back on track.

I’ve practiced yoga for six years. In 2007, I went to Asheville, NC, to get my yoga certification and since then I’ve continued my education in multiple cities. I’ve spent endless hours practicing yoga, meditation, chanting, and doing pranyama (breath work). I’ve converted to a vegetarian diet and swapped soda for kombucha.

I love the yoga lifestyle but recently I went through a tough period when yoga and meditation didn’t seem to be “doing it” for me anymore. When your yoga and mediation practice feels ineffective, it’s easy to just stop practicing, but it’s in these difficult times that you need it the most. Try these three steps to get your yoga and meditation practice back on track:

What To Do When Yoga and Meditation Aren’t Working

1. Get Back on a Healthy Schedule

When you’re in a rocky place it’s difficult to stay on a schedule but it’s that very schedule that gets you back on track. Wake up at the same time every day, preferably before sunrise so that you’re naturally tired at the end of the day and ready for bed. In addition, practice yoga or meditation first thing in the morning to avoid distractions. Think about taking a class: even if you have a home practice, you may need the guidance of an instructor during difficult times. I meditate on my own, but lately I’ve been attending more regimented early morning yoga classes so I can enjoy the community of people practicing yoga along with me.

2. Cut the Uppers and the Downers

When you’re in a bad place and you’re having trouble concentrating, too much caffeine makes the problem infinitely worse. If you love a warm morning beverage, switch to a lightly caffeinated tea. Especially try to reduce caffeine intake during your menstrual cycle because it has a larger impact during this time. Drinking too much alcohol, especially around bedtime, also disrupts your sleep and good sleep is so important to getting back on a schedule. Remember that alcohol takes a toll on your nervous system as well, which makes it difficult to focus during yoga and meditation.

3. Adjust the Yoga Expectations

Sometimes our inflated expectations about yoga (and everything else for that matter) make us unhappy with the results. Release expectations about where you should be and learn to be content with where you are right now. Yoga and meditation are about leaving the past behind, not worrying about the future, and allowing every part of your being to be absorbed in the present moment. Namaste.

]]>http://www.organicauthority.com/health/3-things-to-do-when-yoga-and-meditation-isnt-working.html/feed/025 Inspirational Quotes to Get You Amped for the Dayhttp://www.organicauthority.com/health/25-inspirational-quotes-to-get-you-amped-for-the-day.html
http://www.organicauthority.com/health/25-inspirational-quotes-to-get-you-amped-for-the-day.html#commentsSun, 22 Sep 2013 15:00:00 +0000http://www.organicauthority.com/s5-health/c8-health/25-inspirational-quotes-to-get-you-amped-for-the-day/

Need a little inspiration? Consider the power of words. Inspirational quotes can do a lot to remind us of what we already know or give us a new perspective that we've never thought of before. With all the pressure of daily life, it's easy to feel bogged down in lots of stress and negativity.Sometimes we just need a reminder to look on the bright side. If you're looking for a little extra amp this am, consider these inspirational quotes.

Need a little inspiration? Consider the power of words. Inspirational quotes can do a lot to remind us of what we already know or give us a new perspective that we’ve never thought of before. With all the pressure of daily life, it’s easy to feel bogged down in lots of stress and negativity.Sometimes we just need a reminder to look on the bright side. If you’re looking for a little extra amp this am, consider these inspirational quotes.

1. “The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched – they must be felt with the heart.” Helen Keller

2. “Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.” Robert Louis Stevenson

3. “It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.” Aristotle Onassis

4. “Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship.” Buddha

5. “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” Wayne Gretzky

6. “Life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it.” John Maxwell

7. “You can never cross the ocean until you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.” Christopher Columbus

8. “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.” Henry Ford

Conflict Kitchen is a Pittsburgh, PA takeout restaurant that only serves the cuisine of countries in conflict with the United States. Rotating identities every six months to highlight a different country, the Conflict team has brought Iranian, Afghan, and now Venezuelan food to everyday Pittsburghers, many for the first time, in an effort to broaden perspectives on some of the most media-blitzed regions of the world.

Conflict Kitchen is a Pittsburgh, PA takeout restaurant that only serves the cuisine of countries in conflict with the United States. Rotating identities every six months to highlight a different country, the Conflict team has brought Iranian, Afghan and now Venezuelan food to everyday Pittsburghers, many for the first time, in an effort to broaden perspectives on some of the most media-blitzed regions of the world.

Founded in 2010 by artists John Peña, Dawn Weleski and Jon Rubin, Conflict is half public art project and half culinary venture. The colorful walk-up shares space and staff with The Waffle Shop, another dual purpose eatery that broadcasts a live-streaming talk show with its customers. Dialogue is always on the menu at both places.

In its first iteration, the founding team worked with the local Iranian community to develop Kubideh Kitchen, offering a fresh-baked barbari wrap with seasoned beef, onion, mint and basil. Kubideh was followed by Afghan takeout Bolani Pazi, serving savory turnovers filled with pumpkin, spinach, lentils or potatoes and leeks. The current iteration, Arepas Kitchen, serves Venezuelan corn cakes filled with either cheese, Reina Pepiada (chicken and avocado salad) or Caraotas (Venezuelan black bean mixture).

As part of Jon Rubin’s “Storefront Project” class at nearby Carnegie Mellon University, Conflict Kitchen takes a multi-disciplinary approach to “culinary mediation.” The food wrappers feature interviews with people from the region on topics from history, energy, clothing and poetry to views of the United States government and citizens. An eye-catching new façade featuring the country’s native language is designed for each version.

All is meant to draw in the curious, and perhaps engage them in an international dialogue at one of their Skype dinners. Conflict Kitchen has forged a few digital connections around the dining table with live Skype meals between Tehran, Caracas and Afghanistan, and Pittsburgh. “What we are trying to do is create a safe, engaging and comfortable space for a conversation to happen around these topics, and certainly through food we are able to do that,” says Weleski.

Although there is plenty of overt warfare going on today, there’s no need for “boots on the ground” in order to be considered in conflict; their successfully funded Kickstarter video ends with the narrator trailing off a list of countries that could use some more diverse representation in the United States. The next Kitchen visitors may be discussing embargoes over a Cuban medianoche, or freedom of speech over a tray of North Korean-style gimbap.

Does the holiday hassle have you reaching for another glass of wine, smearing chocolate on your celery or muttering a mantra through clenched teeth? The season of Santa doesn’t have to be a painful – try these fun holiday stress busters that are guaranteed to give you greater perspective, a moment of peace or a belly full of laughs.

Does the holiday hassle have you reaching for another glass of wine, smearing chocolate on your celery or muttering a mantra through clenched teeth? The season of Santa doesn’t have to be a painful – try these fun holiday stress busters that are guaranteed to give you greater perspective, a moment of peace or a belly full of laughs.

Carole Your Head Off. One of the most powerful mood-changers on earth is music, and when you add your voice to the mix, it’s a steam valve for pent-up emotions that need to be released. Some people punch a bag; others sing “Oh Holy Night” at the top of their lungs in the shower (this stress reliever works best when friends and family aren’t in earshot – for their sakes). Christmas carols are always either silly or serious, so put your heart, gestures and facial expressions into your original rendition. Before you know it, you’ll be cracking up just like Frosty the Snowman on a sunny morning.

Draw a Cartoon – of Yourself! Do the holidays have you feeling like a subhuman stress monster that eats sugar cookies all day, swigs on cough syrup like it’s cognac and has ribbon wrapped around her brain a bit too tight? Draw it! Grab a pen and paper and put to life all the crazy emotions you are feeling with images – and stick figures are just fine! Put your masterpiece on your fridge or throw it into the fireplace and burn it!

Have a Silent Night. If you’ve had a particularly stressful day, before the afternoon turns into evening, announce a “Silent Night” in your home once the sun has set. Turn off all phones, all computers, all TVs, radios, video games and anything else that makes noise and has an “off” switch. Give the dog a bone and let children know that a hushed evening awaits: no yelling or screaming will be tolerated, and whispering is preferred. Now sit back, relax, grab a cup of tea or a glass of wine and a book – and remember what life was like before being plugged in was your nightly mode of operation. Email can wait.

Craft a Silly Snowman. Stuck at home or work when you’d rather be slipping away in the snow? Distract yourself with a creativity break and make a snowman out of tissues and tape. Extra points for using office supplies like paperclips, pushpins and post-its to make your snowman’s features, and feel free to stage a competition between co-workers if everyone needs a fun pick-me-up.

Gaze Upon a Midnight Clear. Even if you live in the thick of the city, crisp winter nights often make for grand stargazing. When you need an immediate stress break, wrap up in a warm blanket and head out into the night by yourself to gaze up at the stars. There’s nothing like the incredible scope of the universe to remind you how little all your problems are, and how precious every single moment is. Breathe deep, feeling the cold air flow into your lungs and reinvigorate your body; remember that life is short and will be gone in the blink of an eye. Return inside more centered, calm and with a new sparkle in your eye.

Cook Peppermint Bark. Peppermint bark is fun and easy to make, and someone is going to have to crush all that peppermint with a rolling pin or hammer – smash smash smash!!! Simply melt your favorite chocolate in a double boiler; dark is healthiest. Add 1 cup of crushed candy canes (smash them in a bag for easy cleanup) for each 2 pounds of chocolate, along with a teaspoon of peppermint flavoring. Pour onto a baking sheet covered with wax paper, chill for 1 hour in the refrigerator and then break into smaller pieces and enjoy! Alternative: Use hazelnut flavoring and roasted nuts instead of peppermint – the nuts will also need to be smashed to bits!

Muslim residents of Thailand's Yala province, who make up 80% of the population, say they are treated like second-class citizens in the predominantly Buddhist country.

In 2004, minor violent outbursts morphed into full blown conflict, with both Buddhist monks and Muslims being murder, forcing a strong military presence in the region.

The organic garden serves as tool to teach all of Yala's citizens, who are among the poorest in the nation, the merits of organic agricultural and how supporting the community garden can help citizens help themselves.

Officials say that thousands of villagers and local businesspeople have attended training courses on using bio-fertilizer and composting. Buddhist army officers regularly give lessons on how to use the fertilizer to Muslims in the area.

Even though violence continues to wage in the region, members of the Military say the organic farming is an important attempt to win hearts and minds.

Community Supported Agriculture is a great way to get people working together, so maybe it'll help on such a large-scale too.

Muslim residents of Thailand’s Yala province, who make up 80% of the population, say they are treated like second-class citizens in the predominantly Buddhist country.

In 2004, minor violent outbursts morphed into full blown conflict, with both Buddhist monks and Muslims being murder, forcing a strong military presence in the region.

The organic garden serves as tool to teach all of Yala’s citizens, who are among the poorest in the nation, the merits of organic agricultural and how supporting the community garden can help citizens help themselves.

Officials say that thousands of villagers and local businesspeople have attended training courses on using bio-fertilizer and composting. Buddhist army officers regularly give lessons on how to use the fertilizer to Muslims in the area.

Even though violence continues to wage in the region, members of the Military say the organic farming is an important attempt to win hearts and minds.

Community Supported Agriculture is a great way to get people working together, so maybe it’ll help on such a large-scale too.